- A Panchkula woman disappeared confronting domestic help about jewellery.
- Her body found on rooftop; CCTV showed maid moving it.
- Three arrested; maid claims victim died from accidental fall.
A 72-year-old woman, the wife of a retired Army captain, was allegedly killed by her domestic help following a dispute over missing jewellery in Haryana’s Panchkula, police said.
The victim, Neera Mehta, wife of retired Army captain Manmohan Lal Mehta, was found dead on the rooftop of a house near the residence of the domestic worker. Police said CCTV footage allegedly showed the maid and her son moving the body and concealing it on the neighbouring rooftop.
The domestic help, Sunita Devi, her husband Shankar and their son Raja were arrested within 24 hours of the incident. Investigators said the exact cause of death would be confirmed after the post-mortem examination.
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Dispute Over Missing Jewellery Led To Confrontation
According to police, the case came to light after retired Army captain Manmohan Lal Mehta approached authorities when his wife failed to return home.
In his complaint, Mehta said some gold jewellery had gone missing from their residence and that his wife suspected their domestic help of stealing it. Neera later went to Sunita’s house, located nearby, to question her but did not return.
Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police Aditi Singh said the complainant informed police that jewellery was missing from the house and that his wife had gone to the domestic worker’s residence to inquire about it.
Body Recovered After CCTV And Search Operation
Acting on the complaint, police reached Sunita’s residence but found it locked from the outside. During a search, officers accessed the adjoining rooftop through a neighbouring house.
Neera’s body was later found concealed under a covering on the rooftop. It was subsequently sent for post-mortem and forensic examination.
Police said CCTV footage showed Sunita Devi and her son Raja carrying the victim’s body out of the house and placing it on the neighbouring rooftop before covering it in an apparent attempt to hide it. Investigators also alleged that the accused tried to destroy evidence after the incident, according to India Today.
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Three Arrested; Investigation Continues
Police said preliminary findings suggested Sunita was upset after being repeatedly accused of stealing jewellery from the Mehta residence. According to investigators, an argument over the suspected theft escalated into a physical altercation that resulted in Neera’s death.
The accused were detained based on evidence collected during the investigation and later formally arrested. Police said all three confessed to their involvement during questioning.
However, Sunita denied stealing the jewellery and claimed Neera died after slipping and falling. Police said her version was being examined and that the exact circumstances of the death would be established through the post-mortem report, forensic analysis and other scientific evidence.
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